Four decades after Sports Illustrated sued to allow female journalists to conduct interviews in locker rooms, five months after Cam Newton was raked over the coals after laughing at a woman asking about a football play, we must again talk about how male athletes and coaches treat women in the media.

This time, the subject is Western Kentucky men’s basketball Coach Rick Stansbury, who felt the need to call Stadium Network sideline reporter Laura Britt “honey” during a postgame interview Thursday night.

The Hilltoppers had just defeated Alabama-Birmingham in the Conference USA tournament quarterfinals when Britt asked about their semifinal matchup with Old Dominion. Western Kentucky swept the regular season series with the Monarchs.

“Honey, you understand those other two games have nothing to do with this game, no matter how much we beat them by?” Stansbury asked rhetorically. “It has absolutely nothing to do with it.”

The faux pas could come back to bite Stansbury, whose name has been floated for the coaching vacancy at Mississippi. He was previously the head coach at Mississippi State and an assistant at Texas A&M.

Western Kentucky and Old Dominion will tip off at 4 p.m. Friday in Frisco, Tex. The winner faces Marshall or Southern Mississippi for the tournament title (and an NCAA tournament berth) at 8:30 p.m. Saturday.